What are the possible consequences for using copyrighted music in non-commercial (free and no ads) games? Does giving credit to the musician in the credits actually lessen or remove any of these consequences? The most experience I've had with copyrighted music is with YouTube videos and those consequences vary a lot (your video can get monetized, muted, or removed depending on the music publisher).

"Does giving credit to the musician in the credits actually lessen or remove any of these consequences?"

No. You need permission from the copyright holders of the composition and the recording itself. Crediting the musician isn't enough and even if the musician gave permission, that's no guarantee that other parties do not hold copyright on, say, the recording.

What are the possible consequences for using copyrighted music in non-commercial (free and no ads) games?

You can get a threatening letter demanding that you take the game offline and make it unavailable, destroy all copies, track down all downloaders/users of the game and ask them to destroy it -- or you can be sued. Same as if it was a for-profit game.

Edited by Tom Sloper, 13 August 2013 - 02:47 PM.

-- Tom SloperSloperama ProductionsMaking games fun and getting them done.www.sloperama.com

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